Re: Objects and Symbols
David L. Altheide (David.Altheide@Asu.Edu)
Mon, 29 Jan 1996 17:16:10 -0700 (MST)
Boy, those are difficult but important questions. My take might differ
from others, but here's a brief attempt: Anything can be treated as an
object, but objects are significant if they have meaning, and that is
symbolic; we define others symbolically; we can see the other as an
object that we give meaning to, that is, symbolic meaning, e.g,. a
category, designation, word, name, etc. No object matters for us
unless it has symbolic existence; In this sense, sociologically
speaking, there are no "unknowns" in one's universe because it
is a symbolic universe. Even those things we call the "great
unknown" has symbolic connections.
Good luck.
Regards,
David A.